


The World Can Heal.

by Daisysmartheart



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: F/F, Female My Unit | Byleth, Gen, Implied/Referenced Torture, Jeritza Appears but not enough for a tag, M/M, post crimson flower route
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-01
Updated: 2020-11-01
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:29:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27337207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daisysmartheart/pseuds/Daisysmartheart
Summary: Finally, the war is over. At a ball in Brigid, the last members of Those who Slither in the Dark are being caught, all while the ball and its operations go on above ground. At last, the Black Eagle Strike Force can rest.
Relationships: Caspar von Bergliez/Linhardt von Hevring (implied), Dorothea Arnault/Petra Macneary (Implied), Edelgard von Hresvelg/My Unit | Byleth, Ferdinand von Aegir & Dorothea Arnault, Ferdinand von Aegir/Hubert von Vestra, My Unit | Byleth & Hubert von Vestra
Kudos: 18





	The World Can Heal.

The war was over. The Empire stood above any other power. Peace however, did not yet reign. Despite the uprooting of the grand majority of their enemies, a handful had escaped to Brigid. Petra, having finally ascended to her throne, was hosting a formal ball as a cover for the best spies in the Empire to either subdue, capture or kill those who remained. However… the two had some formal training due to their statuses, but were wall flowers above all else.

"Eisner, for the love of- if you step on my foot one more time-!"

"Yes, yes, it'll be removed, I'm aware. I can see them, but we're still slightly too far away. Are you _certain_ that we need to stay like this until we are sure?"

"Yes. It needs to be known that the Empire will not abandon our wartime allies in times of peace. And besides, Dorothea wished to see you again."

Violet met green-gold as the music swelled and the men in the corner fled. "Can we _please_ go after them by this point? The two we've identified left and if there's any more they're soon to follow."

"No. The others are already in wait for anyone who comes near them. You know our role is to be figureheads. Appear to scare them out thanks to our contributions to the war and into the hands of the lesser known."

Their role. The mission. Why in the hells was he so boring all the time?! She understood his dedication to the crown, perhaps felt it more than him. "The song switches in only a few moments. One for 'friends,' though we both know better. Maybe you won't be such a sourpuss then Hubie."

The twitch in his eye told her that her plan had worked. Every member of the strike force in the hall knew that she spoke the truth, and despite how quiet she had been she swore that she could hear El and Thea laughing over something or other, though part of her hoped it was for her joke. 

The song finally faded out as the last pairs separated and the two went on to their more intended partners. She watched the two pair off, before joining the other "single" women. "Dorothea, I'd love to chat but this many skirts truly is obnoxious. Can I change and then we can talk?"

"Oh, hey professor! Of course. Edie, Petra, I'm going to take her back to her quarters and then we'll be back."

The two women walked to what were in fact her shared quarters with El in peace, though Dorothea was herself and asked lots of questions. "So professor, any words on Mr. Snooty and the bee?"

"I still have no clue why you call Ferdinand a bee, but it's pretty obvious. I mean really, Hubert almost took my head off for just doing my job but then he's all noble and crap with him. He's smitten and can't wait to be home so they don't have to hide it anymore."

"Oh that's sweet… and Caspie owes me twenty gold now."

While her statement didn't surprise Byleth, it certainly made her laugh. Emotions, she had decided, were a very nice thing. "And you and Petra? Winning the approval of a court that hates you is sure to be a challenge, but you've always been good at that sort of thing."

The two continued to talk, moving further back in the hall as they did. Changing was a painless process after so many celebrations in Enbarr.

In the hall again, now dressed in her best shirt and dress pants, Byleth approached the doors that she had seen earlier, and heard nothing. That was good, it meant the secondary team had actually gotten their job done instead of floundering the mission… again. She loved her wolves, she really did, but putting them with Jeritza, Bernadetta and Lysithea never quite ended well. Thankfully, it looked like for once Yuri had pulled rank and forced them to shut up and be the professionals they were.

"Well, it looks as though things have went properly this time my lady. Another day here and then we're back home. It's sad to have to leave again, but at least this time we won't have to worry about codes."

The lingering tension in her eyes faded as she spoke. "Yes, I am afraid this is the case. Petra, Dorothea, it has truly been lovely to see you both again. As always, the Empire will always have its arms open to you and your people so long as we live."

The hustle of the end of any ball was broken by Ferdinand, as was usual for any ball hosted by a former Eagle. "He slipped off again to help the others. In other news, maybe we should have breakfast together before we must leave? The best parts of the war were often those days."

Petra was, also as usual, very receptive to the idea. Most of them had learned to basically accept his whims, but this was one everyone was appreciative of. The last time they'd shared a meal was three days after the end of the war when a _very_ drunken Caspar had proposed to Linhardt. That sure was a party… the poor gatekeeper had even gotten involved, he was a kindly young man in all honesty.

Everyone knowing full well that the Eagles only occupied about half of the beds they were assigned, all went to sleep. However, not everyone's jobs were finished. The basement crew was in fact just starting. Normally the transport would've happened before the interrogation, but Jeritza had got a little bloodthirsty and one of their men would likely have died without Yuri and Lysithea. Under normal circumstances he would've been harshly chastised for such an error, but it was excusable. To their knowledge, the pair of rats were the only two in the country. At worst they died and very little of value was lost. At this point he had interrogated and tortured so many of the monsters that he knew almost everything about how their system worked.

At this point he just wanted to go to bed, get back to Enbarr and get on with life as usual. Of course, that would normally mean being shoved in the same carriage as the Wolves, but because they had brought Lysithea, that was her bunch of wild to deal with. He would enjoy the relative peace and quiet that the first carriage would provide. Or, as quiet as one that had Edelgard, Byleth and Ferdinand in a small place could be. They might be his closest friends (and more,) but it didn't change the fact that they'd argue over policies until they were all blue in the face if they could. Not to say that he likely wouldn't get involved, but more likely he'd use the ride to catch up on the sleep he'd miss. Leaving the deaths of the men to Jeritza, he stalked through the now silent halls and into bed as well.

The morning came and the last meal of the Strike Force was had. It was the sort of meal they had all missed. The food could've been horrible and stringy, but it was the sense of togetherness that made it so special. Dorothea saw them off alone, but guaranteed she'd pass along their words of wellbeing to Petra. "Oh! And make sure you send pictures Ferdie!"

Edelgard laughed as she climbed into the carriage. For once, everything in her world seemed right. Everyone was for once, happy. Life would go on, and she would be back in her city by this time tomorrow for a meeting with lesser Alliance nobles. Of course, what occupied her thoughts was instead the joy in witnessing the announcement of her dear friends engagement. One of her first policies as emperor was to repeal the laws on marriage between two men or women, and it was just as much for their sake as it was her own. It made her happy to see them happy together, if a little envious.

Byleth entered next and held her hand tightly. "Everything is going to be fine El. That's the last of them. The world can heal now."

Ferdinand. "She's right you know. We've all put our marks on this world, but now we don't have to worry anymore. It can be left to the next generation."

Hubert said nothing, but his presence calmed her. They were all right. It was over. Finally, the reign of the Flame Emperor could come to an end. It wouldn't yet, lest things went sour, but she could begin anew. No longer have to be the fearsome warrior queen. Now she could just be Edelgard, a woman, wife, mother and friend.


End file.
